Quads · Compound movement
Single-Leg Press
A compound exercise that targets the quads with secondary work in glutes, hamstrings. Performed with leg press machine.
Looping the start and end of the movement.
Primary muscle
Quads
Secondary muscles
Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Single-Leg Press
- Set up in the leg press and place one foot centered on the platform, roughly in line with your hip.
- Keep the other foot off the platform and rest it to the side, so one leg carries the entire load.
- Release the safety catches and lower the sled by bending the working knee, keeping the hips level and square.
- Descend until the working knee reaches roughly ninety degrees, or until the pelvis is about to tuck off the pad.
- Because one leg is loaded, watch that the knee tracks over the foot and does not cave inward under the strain.
- Press the sled back up through the mid-foot and heel, stopping short of full lockout to protect the knee.
Suggested working range: 10–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Letting the working knee cave inward under the full single-leg load.
- •Letting the pelvis tuck and the lower back round off the pad at the bottom.
- •Using a partial range instead of lowering the knee toward ninety degrees.
- •Locking the knee out hard at the top instead of stopping just short of full extension.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.
Use this exercise in a program
The Single-Leg Press fits naturally into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize quads volume.
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